When I went to Fairyland

The Visit

When I went to Fairyland, visiting the Queen,
I rode upon a peacock, blue and gold and green;
Silver was the harness, crimson were the reins,
All hung about with silver bells that swung on silken chains.

When I went to Fairyland, indeed you cannot think
What pretty things I had to eat, what pretty things to drink.
And did you know that butterflies could sing like little birds?
And did you guess that fairy-talk is not a bit like words?

When I went to Fairyland - of all the lovely things! -
They really taught me how to fly, they gave me fairy wings;
And every night I listen for a tapping on the pane -
I want so very much to go to Fairyland again.

From The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

1915 Housekeeper's Diary: March

This month's household wisdom from Flora Klickmann's 1915 book The Mistress of the Little House (previous posts here, here and here).

March

The main thing I took away from this was that it reads like a love letter to March!
For example:

• "March is the month when life is stirring and awakening on every side."

• "Open the windows, let in all the sun and air you can... the air on a bright March day is life-giving."

Other than that, there is a lot of advice for keeping the house free of fleas and mice - thank goodness this is isn't really a big problem for us these days!

Shakespeare: A good heart...

Today's Shakespeare quote from The Shakespeare Birthday Book

"But a good heart is the sun and moon; or rather the sun and not the moon; for it shines bright and never changes, but keeps his course truly."

Henry V. Act v. Sc. 2.

Spring is here

Spring is here

When baby buds are waking in their cradles high,
And tree-tops are a-shaking as the wind goes by,
The Pussy-Willows nod their furry heads and cry,
"Me you, me you, me you -
Spring is here,
Little dear,
For me and you."

When birdies are a-cheeping on the garden wall,
And green is all a-creeping where the sunbeams fall,
The Pussy-Willows nod their furry heads and call,
"Me you, me you, me you -
Spring is here,
Little dear,
For me and you."

By Florence Hoatson, taken from Harry Golding's book Verses For Children

1915 Housekeeper's Diary: February

This month's household wisdom from Flora Klickmann's 1915 book The Mistress of the Little House (previous posts here and here).

February

• "One of the great events of this month is the marmalade-making." - This makes me wish I liked marmalade! If you do, this is your month!

• Flora suggests milk for getting rid of ink stains - I'd never heard of this, but a quick google backs it up. According to Reader's Digest you soak the stain overnight in milk.

• And salt for red wine stains - This one is much more widely known, I guess wine stains are much more prevalent than ink stains these days!

Fairy Song - Dance, Sing, Shine!

Fairy Song

Dance, little friend, little friend breeze,
Low among the hedgerows, high among the trees;
Fairy partners wait for you, oh! do not miss your chance,
Dance, little friend, dance!

Sing, little friend, little friend stream,
Softly through the mossy nooks where fairies lie and dream;
Sweetly by the rushes where fairies sway and swing,
Sing, little friend, sing!

Shine, little friend, little friend moon,
The fairies will have gathered in the forest very soon;
Send your gleaming silver darts where thick the branches twine,
Shine, little friend, shine!

From The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

And all because I was brave, and tried

Getting started on something is always the most difficult part. And fear, especially fear of failure, can be the biggest hurdle to overcome. We hold ourselves back, but if we would only try...!

I'm very guilty of that kind of thing. But here's a cute poem that actually has an excellent message - to be brave, and try :-)

How The Little Kite Learned To Fly

"I never can do it," the little kite said,
As he looked at the others high over his head;
"I know I should fall if I tried to fly."
"Try," said the big kite; "only try!
Or I fear you will never learn at all."
But the little kite said, "I'm afraid I'll fall."

The big kite nodded: "Ah, well, good-bye;
I'm off"; and he rose towards the tranquil sky.
Then the little kite's paper stirred at the sight,
And, trembling, he shook himself free for flight.
First whirling and frightened, then braver and grown,
Up, up he rose through the air alone,
Till the big kite looking down could see
The little one rising steadily.

Then how the little kite thrilled with pride,
As he sailed with the big kite side by side!
While far below he could see the ground,
And the boys like small spots moving round.
They rested high in the quiet air,
And only the birds and the clouds were there.
"Oh, how happy I am!" the little kite cried;
"And all because I was brave, and tried."

From Harry Golding's book Verses For Children